HIST 3822
3 credits/Spring 2000
Tues/Thurs 2:00-3:15 PM
2-213 Carlson

Professor Erika Lee
778 Social Sciences Tower
Office Hours:
Tues/Thurs 11-12
tel: 612-624-9569
erikalee@tc.umn.edu
Main | Syllabus | Schedule | Lectures | Internet Resources

 
Syllabus

COURSE DESCRIPTION

World War Two transformed both the United States and the American people. The country emerged from the war as the most successful and dominant nation in the world and soon embarked in a "Cold War" with the Soviet Union that would last until 1989. Americans themselves had experienced unprecedented economic growth during the war that would continue for several decades, but the impact of this prosperity was uneven, as was progress in gender and race relations. Both of these legacies of the war would shape American society, politics, culture, and economy throughout the rest of the 20th century.

This course is a survey of American history from 1945 to the present. We will examine the legacies of World War Two, post-war American society, the Cold War at home and abroad, civil rights struggles, 1960s politics and culture of dissent, liberation movements among women, African-, Asian-, Native-Americans, Chicanos, gays and lesbians, war in Southeast Asia, new immigration, and society and politics at the end of the century. The emphasis will be on reading, critiquing, and interpreting history from the perspectives of ordinary people from diverse backgrounds. Thus, your readings are primarily first-person accounts and you will engage in a research paper and project using primary sources. This course is open to undergraduate majors and non-majors. There will be one in-class midterm exam, one research paper, and one take-home final exam paper. We will view films and use the internet to compliment lectures and class discussions.

 

Class time: 90% lecture, 10% discussion and in-class assignments Work load: 100 pages of reading per week, 1 in-class midterm, 1 research paper and two related 1 page assignments, 1 take-home final exam Grade: 25% mid-semester exam, 25% paper and related assignments, 40% take-home final exam, and 10% film reaction paper and in-class assignments. In-class assignments will be graded on a check+,check, and check- system. Exam format: Essay

 

GOALS OF THIS COURSE

  1. to assess the continuities and changes in the lives of Americans from 1945 to the present.
  2. to understand the contemporary state of American society, culture, and politics through their historical roots and from the perspectives of ordinary Americans
  3. to acquire basic skills used by historians to understand, analyze, research, and write history

Throughout the course, you should be able to:

  • to relate the experiences of Americans to the larger context of domestic and international relations and trends
  • compare and contrast the experiences of different groups of Americans according to such factors as race, ethnicity, class, gender, generation, and sexual identity
  • critically analyze primary source documents and writings within their historical context o critically read secondary sources (historical and other scholarship) and be able to identify an authoršs thesis and main points
  • write logical and coherent papers and exams with an argument of your own

 

ASSIGNMENTS/EXAMINATIONS

  1. Midterm Exam in class: THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2000
  2. Research Paper (see below) due in class: TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 2000
  3. 1-page reaction paper on one course film. Due the next class after the film has been shown. See course schedule.
  4. 4) Take Home Final Exam (8-10 pages). Due Date: THURSDAY, MAY 11, IN 778 SOCIAL SCIENCES BY 12 NOON

All written assignments (except for in-class midterm) must be typed.

RESEARCH PAPER

In this course, we will study both personal and national stories of Americans during this period of great change. As part of this endeavor, you will research and write a paper on the legacies of the Vietnam War using primary historical sources. You will have a choice of a specific topic within the general subject of the legacies of the Vietnam War.

I will select primary source documents for you to use and will point you to relevant sources for each topic. Additional sources are not necessary, though you will be provided with a suggested readings list to consult if you wish. The main focus of your paper should concentrate on interpreting the documents provided and answering the questions raised in your assignment sheet. You have the choice of writing on another topic besides the legacies of Vietnam War, but you must obtain my permission first.

The final paper should be 6-9 pages long. There will be two 1 page assignments related to the research paper. One will be a one page topic description and proposal (Due 2/15). The second will be a primary source analysis (Due 3/14). Throughout the semester, we will discuss these assignments as well as the larger project.

Exact directions and suggested primary sources will be passed out in class and be made available on the course web site on Tuesday, February 1, 2000.

 

CLASS DISCUSSION

Although this is a large course, I encourage class discussion. I have indicated when we will spend a substantial amount of time discussing specific books. To prepare for class discussions, reading for the assigned date should be done prior to class as much as possible. We will also engage in in-class writing and small group exercises.

You are expected to be attentive during class and ask questions if you do not understand something. You are also expected to listen respectfully to other students when we are speaking. In accordance with university policy, I will not tolerate any comments or actions that create a hostile or uncomfortable learning environment for any member of the class.

 

REQUIRED READING­ available at the West Bank bookstore

Emily and Norman Rosenberg, In Our Times: America Since World War Two (Prentice Hall, 1999)

Elaine Tyler May, Homeward Bound: American Families in the Cold War Era (Basic Books, 1999) try to get the most recent edition - with the red cover

Anne Moody, Coming of Age in Mississippi (Dell, 1968)

Michael Herr, Dispatches (Vintage, 1968)

Chidei Faraya, The Color of Our Future (Morrow, 1999)

Course Reader ­ available at the West Bank bookstore Internet Documents as listed in syllabus or announced in class

 

FILMS

We will watch two films over the course of the semester. It is very important that you attend class to see the films and take notes. You are required to write a one-two page reaction paper on one film due the next meeting time after the film has been shown. The paper should summarize the main points of the film and analyze how it is important.

 

USING THE INTERNET

This course will rely heavily on the internet, and you should familiarize yourself with the course website: http://www.hist.umn.edu/~erikalee/H3822.html. The syllabus and lecture schedule will be on-line and there is an extensive web page of history resources.

 

OFFICE HOURS (778 SOCIAL SCIENCES)

Please feel free to talk to me about any issue relating to the course. My office hours for this semester will be:

Tuesday: 11:00-12:00

Thursday: 11:00-12:00

If you cannot make these hours, please feel free to meet with me after any class to make an appointment or e-mail me at erikalee@tc.umn.edu. You can also call me at my office at 624-9569.

 

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF THE LECTURES AND READINGS

Take careful notes during lectures and discussions. Write down important points, examples, and themes of the lectures. Do not take notes only on the things I write on the board. Listen to your classmates as well and note what ideas they might have to share.

Because we will often discuss the readings in class, it is important to keep up with the readings as much as possible. The lectures will reinforce what you will read and make it easier to understand the issues we are covering. Take short notes on the reading, including questions that you may have. When you read, it is helpful to ask the following questions of yourself and the reading to make sure that you understand the main themes and points.

  • What are the major points/themes of this reading?
  • What is the author trying to express in this text?
  • Why is this topic significant?
  • What do the readings tell me about the United States & the time period in which it was written?
  • Is this text written from a particular perspective? If so, what is it? Do I agree with this point of view? How might other people living in the past have interpreted the same era/historical event?
  • What are some of the recurring themes in the book? What are some examples that reflect these themes?
  • Are the experiences relayed in the text unique to one group or one era of the American past? What kinds of comparisons can be made across group lines and across historical time periods?

Different perspectives and opinions make up the heart of what the study of history is, so do not be shy to offer your own "take" on the readings.

 

UNIVERSITY POLICIES

GRADES AND GRADING POLICIES

All papers that are turned in late will be marked down one grade for every day late. For example, a B+ paper turned in late by one day will become a B. NO EXCEPTIONS.

University-wide grading standards are as follows:

  • A - achievement that is outstanding relative to the level necessary to meet course requirements
  • B - achievement that is significantly above the level necessary to meet course requirements
  • C - achievement that meets the course requirements in every respect
  • D - achievement that is worthy of credit even though it fails to meet fully the course requirements
  • S - achievement that is satisfactory, which is equivalent to a C- or better
  • F(or N) - Represents failure (or no credit) and signifies that the work was either (1) completed but at a level of achievement that is not worthy of credit or (2) was not completed and there was no agreement between the instructor and the student that the student would be awarded an I (see also I)
  • I - (Incomplete) Assigned at the discretion of the instructor when, due to extraordinary circumstances, e.g., hospitalization, a student is prevented from completing the work of the course on time. Requires a written agreement between instructor and student
  • Academic dishonesty in any portion of the academic work for a course shall be grounds for awarding a grade of F or N for the entire course.

 

PLAGIARISM

Use of written material (such as quotations) and/or ideas from the work of other scholars or writers without acknowledgement constitutes plagiarism. While I reserve the right to treat cases of unintentional plagiarism, you should be aware that the College of Liberal Arts recommends a failing grade for any plagiarized assignments. A second offense would result in a failing course grade. If you are uncertain about the meaning of plagiarism, please consult me. An extensive hand out will be made available in class and on the course web site.

 

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

The University of Minnesota is committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal access to its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, national origin, handicap, age, veteran status, or sexual orientation. For further information, contact the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action in 419 Morrill Hall (624-9547).

 

SEXUAL HARASSMENT

Sexual harassment is defined as "Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical contact of a sexual nature when (1) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment or academic advancement, (2) submission to, or rejection of, such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment decisions or academic decisions affecting the individual, or (3) such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work or academic performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or academic environment." All faculty, supervisors, and administrators are legally and ethically obligated to take appropriate action to prevent sexual harassment. For further information, contact the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action in 419 Morrill Hall (624-9547).

 

DISABILITIES

The University will provide accommodation for students with special needs. Please inform me if this may apply to you. For further information, contact the Office for Students with Disabilities, 16 Johnston Hall (624-4037).

 

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